


Baby Steps

by UnknownUncut



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: AU, Gen, King Noctis Lucis Caelum
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2020-05-07 11:37:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19208611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnknownUncut/pseuds/UnknownUncut
Summary: The first generation is coming soon and Noctis has to finalize a few last minute details, easier said than done. A child showed up in his office, lost and looking for her caretaker. So Noctis does what he does best, help the child find her caretaker.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to a Baby Steps which will only be three chapters. I just wanted to write this for a little while now but wasn't sure how to start it but hey it's here now. It's not the best mostly because I'm playing around with an idea but I'll try my best to make it make sense.
> 
> Hopefully you enjoy!

The Citadel is in chaos as it awaits the day that the clock would finish ticking. No one has slept since last week, working hard for the first generation is coming to life very soon.

Noctis has been busy preparing not only the Citadel but the families that are wishing to adopt a child, or more, from the first generation. The work load doesn’t seem to slowing down and Ignis is away for business in Niflheim.

A quiet sigh left Noctis’s lips while he leans back into his chair. His office is quiet and lonely since all of his friends – his family – is busy doing other things. Prompto is out with the hunters trying to caught some monster that been terrorizing a town nearby. Gladio is training the new line of Kingsglaives and Ignis is in Niflheim for business, what kind Noctis isn’t sure since his adviser did sure that detail with him.

“Rough day?”

The King looks up to see Loqi leaning against the doorway. The pilot has dark circles around the bottom of his eyes and an easy smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. Loqi had come to them one darken day, offering his service to them without being sure that they’ll accept. Prompto was the one to let the pilot into the Citadel. No one is sure why Loqi switch sides or why he came to them but his knowledge in piloting is useful so no one complained.

“No,” Noctis said as he takes his reading glasses off. “Just a long one, how was yours?”

Loqi step inside and took a seat across from Noctis, not sure if he’s welcome. “Same old, same old.” He snaps his fingers and point one at Noctis as he remembers something. “Actually, Ardyn and what’s-his-name came to the hanger to talk to Cindy but they didn’t talk for long.”

Noctis nods his head. Guess he’s has to look forward to talking to Ardyn and Cindy at some point, that’s going to be fun.

“Why was Cindy at the hanger?” he ask.

“I need help with something and called her up, man she knows what she’s talking about” Loqi said, a smirk on his face. “I should get going, I wanted to just check up on you since I don’t think anyone has yet.”

“Thanks Loqi.” Noctis put his glasses back on as Loqi stood back up and heads for the door. However, Noctis quickly looks back up. “Are you coming to meet the first generation?”

Loqi froze in the doorway. His knuckles turning white as he held onto the door frame. A few seconds past before Loqi spoke with shaky breath. “No, I wasn’t and before you ask me to come it’s probably best I don’t go.” With that the pilot left the room before the King could convince him to go.

Noctis sighs and mark Loqi’s name off his list of people to double check with. Guess he has to go find everyone else on the list to see if they are going or not.

…

The training grounds are the same from when Noctis was a boy. Kingsglaive of all kinds are sparing or talking to one another. It’s nice to see everyone at peace after so long of fighting for the unseen future.

Gladio stood out from everyone else, not because he’s one of tallest in here but his voice carries across the rooms that even people who were fighting along before they became Kingsglaives are quietly listening to what the shield has to say.

Noctis stops and take in the scene before him. Gladio is kneeling on the ground with six kids mimicking him as they listen to every word the man speaks. He wonders if he could have been one of those kids if he just cared a little about his training with Gladio. He shakes his head and tune back in to what Gladio is saying since there’s no point crying over now.

“That would be today's lesson, next week we’ll start on balance.” Gladio stood up, being careful of his left knee. The children quickly follow suit and took off.

The children rush past him, cheerfully greeting him, before they were gone in the sea of Kingsglaives.

“Ignis should be home in time” said Gladio as he walks over to Noctis. The King whines a little when he notice the slight limp in his shield’s steps. “Iris and Talcott are also coming but they’ll be a little late.”

Noctis nods his head and let Gladio swing an arm around his shoulders. As one, they walk out of the training grounds.

“How is Iris?” Noctis ask. “Last I heard she was in Hammerhead with Cindy and Talcott.”

Gladio just shrugs and a light shake of his head. “I haven’t spoken to her since our argument back before she left, Talcott was the one to tell me that they are coming.”

“Oh…” Noctis knows he should stay out of it since it’s a family matter but Gladio is his family, which includes Iris. “Do you mind if I ask what happened?”

“I do.” And that was it.

Gladio’s phone went off and the shield left him to answer it. Probably Ignis or Talcott but Noctis isn’t sure these days. He quietly wonders when Prompto is coming back from that hunt. He’s being selfish. His friends got better things to do than listen to Noctis rant all day long.

The King took out his note pad and takes a look at the name. Guess he can go find Ravus.

…

Ravus took a little longer to find since the man has decided that it’s time to disappear again but luckily Noctis has a slight idea on where the man has gone.

The park is quiet save for a couple walking around. The park is known as Lover’s park but it’s also the home for one statue of Lady Lunafreya.

Sitting on a bench off to the side is Ravus. The prince is looking up at the statue with a far off look in his eyes. Luna’s death has effect everyone but Ravus got hurt the most. Luna and Ravus were just becoming a family once more when his sister got ripped away from him.

Noctis still remember the cold winter night when Ravus came to sit on the roof of the Citadel with him. Neither spoke but they didn’t have to.

The King took a seat next to the man however before he could Ravus gives Noctis a nod without even knowing what Noctis has to say. Noctis just left the man there to grieve for his sister.  

…

The night stretch on forever as Noctis makes his way back to his office where he’ll spend another sleepless night in. There’s no time to sleep anymore since Astrals had told them that the first generation is ready to wake up and join them.

Families are waiting in the wings for their newest members to join them. Noctis wonders if one day he can be like them, waiting quietly for someone that’s they’ll love forever.

His heart sings sadly at the thought. There’s nothing he can do about that since he been busy with everything but he can make others happy so he’ll keep on going.

The King push the door open with his shoulder and wonders inside. Soft giggles can be heard which cause him to stop. The place is the same from when he left it. Papers left on the desk, a blanket lazily thrown onto one of the chairs, and a child spinning on one of those chairs. See everything thing still in place.

The child stop spinning when Noctis did a double take. The child’s giggles turn into a squeal as they jump off the chair and hide behind his desk.

“Hey, hey it’s alright.” Noctis gently kneels down, placing his hands out to show the child that he isn’t a threat. “Where are your parents?”

The child tilts their head out from behind the desk. Dark red, curly hair falls over the child’s face but the greens eyes seem to make up for it.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he said while placing a hand over his heart. “I promise.”

It felt like a lifetime before the child finally step out from behind the desk. She’s wearing a black dress with a hood on the back. The child duck her head while pulling the hood up.

“My name’s Noctis, what’s your?” he ask. A simple question that anyone can answer, hopefully.

She opens and close her mouth before shaking her head. “My name…?” she quietly ask. The child's tilts her head, "I don't think I have one of those..."

His heart broke at the child’s words. Does she even have parents or anyone that would take her in? Another question suddenly pops up into his mind. How did she get in to the Citadel? Yes, the Citadel is open to the public but only during the ‘morning’ and school trips, plus whatever else Ignis help set up.

"How about we go find your caretaker?”

The child looks up at him, wide eyes stare up at him. She stood there for a long time and Noctis wonders if she remembers what he just said or she didn’t hear him. But all that was wrong when she came over and took his hand that he held out to her.

Once he’s back on his feet, the two head out of the office and down the hall. He’s not sure where to start but maybe around town. The girl’s caretaker must be looking for her.

“We’ll find them, I promise” he said.

The child smiles up at him, bright and happy. Noctis chuckles softly and smiles back at her. His heart warms as the child skips alongside him, happily. Whoever is her caretaker is going to get some words handed to them; who leaves a child out by themselves…first he needs to find the caretaker than he’ll figure out what to do from there.

Hopefully they won’t be too hard to find.


	2. The Northern Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry about taking a little while to get back into this. It mostly has to do with a slight writer's block and the fact that I went away during the weekend so I didn't have much of a chance to write but I managed to finish this chapter.
> 
> Hopefully you enjoy!

The market isn’t overly busy this last at night with whoever is left after the 10 years wait. Noctis greets people as he walks past, still holding onto the little girl’s hand.

“How about Lily?” Noctis ask.

The two been thinking up some names but most of them the girl just doesn’t like or it just doesn’t fit. Lily clearly isn’t a name that the girl like either. A sigh escape from Noctis but kept going. Listing off names that the girl might like until they find her caretaker, who would hopefully know her name.

“What about…Luna?” he ask quietly.

Looking down, the girl has a small pout on her lips as she swings their hands while walking. She seems to be thinking but Noctis could be wrong.

“No, that’s name taken” she finally said. She slows her steps when she spots something before letting go of the King’s hand.

“Hey, where…?” he quickly went after the girl so not to lose her.

The stalls are packed close together so less of an area is taken up. When they first moved back into Insomnia, the hunters and other shopkeepers were quick about grabbing a space where the market was going to be place. Noctis has to remember to thank Dave later for helping them with everything.

Noctis slides through two stalls just as the girl rounds a corner. He grabs the edge of the stall and pull himself around. There’s less people down this way which makes it easier to keep the girl in sight but it still worries him since whenever he thinks he’s close enough, she’s gone again.

“Oh, hello?”

Noctis slow his steps as he rounds a stall and sees Ignis standing there with the girl’s arms barely around his waist. She barely above Ignis’s waist but it doesn’t stop her from hugging the advisor.

Ignis tilts his head before looking over to the King. The blind advisor gives him a smile before nodding down at the child hanging off him. Noctis chuckles softly as he steps forwards.

“You can’t run off like that” he said. “You could’ve gotten lost or hurt.”

The girl let go of Ignis before latching back onto Noctis’s hand. Her curly hair falls into her face as she tries to hide. Noctis knelt down in front of her, pushing her hair back.

“I’m sorry…” she said however she kept her head down. “I just wanting to see Ignis.”

Noctis looks up at his advisor, who just has a frown on his lips. He wonders if Ignis knows the girl but from the looks of things, Ignis doesn’t seem to.

“Well, next time just tell me and we can go together.” He looks back at the kid. “Okay?”

The child looks up and nods her head. Noctis chuckles, ruffling the kid’s hair before standing back up. Ignis just shakes his head.

“I’ll see you back at the Citadel.” And was all Ignis said before he left the king and child standing there.

Noctis wonders what’s on his friend’s mind is but he still needs to find the girl’s caretaker. “So where to?” he ask.

The girl looks around before pointing off somewhere. “That way!” She pulls him along and Noctis just follows along.

…

The hours dragged on and no sign of the girl’s caretaker anywhere. Frankly Noctis is running out of time to finish preparing for the first generation. Just from Noctis is standing, he can see the glow of the crystal that has been moved outside.

It was a request from Bahamut is move the crystal however he never stated that like that, only leaving little hints for the King. Noctis figure it out in the end but it was annoying and just a pain to figure out the message that Bahamut decided to leave.

The glow of the crystal worries Noctis, it’s brighter now then it was earlier. He wonders how much time is truly left.

The girl giggles is what brought him back to the here and now. They managed to cover quite a bit of Insomnia however no matter how much they look or ask, they can’t seem to find anyone missing a child.

The girl is watching a musician playing the piano for everyone. The piano is painted, the time before the Ruins. Noctis frown, forgetting about most of the colours.

It’s still night, forever and ever, mostly because Noctis’s friends managed to find another way to keep things at bay for now. However there will come a day when Noctis has to leave everyone and…he’s not so sure anymore if he can.

“What’s that?” the girl ask while point out the sun rise on the side of the piano.

Noctis chuckles softly as he kneels out. “That’s a sun rise or dawn.” Noctis frown again, he never bother watching the sun rise or set when he was younger mostly because he was foolish enough to think that it’ll always be there.

The girl stands up taller, placing a hand over her heart in thought.

“Dawn?” Noctis ask, wondering if maybe he found the name for her. However she shakes her head, staying quiet. Noctis shut his eyes as he tries to remember another name meaning dawn. Nothing is coming forth.

“ _I wish I was an aurora. I’ll be the goddess of dawn. I’ll be the chariot of light in darkness. I’ll harbor revolutions in lives. I’ll be enlighten everyone as my own._ ”

“Aurora” Noctis said, looking back down at the girl. “Is Aurora your name?”

The girl looks from the pianist to the King while nodding slowly as if she can’t believe it either. The girl –Aurora – smiles brightly as she wrap her arms around Noctis’s neck, tightly hugging him as if she discovered the way to bring the light back.

Noctis hugs her back before letting her go. Now that they know her name, hopefully the search for her caretaker would be easier.

“Let’s go find your caretaker, Aurora.” Noctis smiles as Aurora bounce around, running around to people to continue the search.

Just seeing Aurora so happy makes Noctis lighter, happier even. It’s something he hadn’t felt since, well, everything. His father’s death, Luna’s, along with leaving his friends behind to deal with his mess. So being able to make one person happy is enough for Noctis right now.

Aurora came back running over and grab his hand. “Come on, the night isn’t getting any younger!” she pulls on his hand, getting a laugh out of him.

“Alright, alright.” Noctis stood back up and let himself be dragged along by the child.

…

Ignis frown as he listens to the Astrals bicker back and forth. Shiva had come for a visit but got into an argument with Bahamut about something. Ignis only caught the end of the argument but it’s clearly about something being missing.

“How can you lose something this important!” shout Shiva.

Bahamut didn’t say anything other than throw his arms up before cross them. A huff came from him but the god has nothing to say to the goddess.

"If you don’t mind?” ask Ignis, stepping forwards and gain the Astrals’ attention. “May I ask what is it that is lost?”

Shiva sighs as she run a hand down her face. “One of the children for first gen is missing and it was Bahamut turn to watch them” she finish by glaring at the god that started everything.

“I don’t babysit” Bahamut said. “You should have asked Leviathan or Ramuh to watch them, or even Umbra!”

The arguing continues as if Ignis never said anything in the first place. The wind whips around the garden, causing the trees and flowers to blow along with it.

It took a while but everything managed to adapt to the continuing night. Prompto was the one to point it out one night during a mission before Noctis came back. Ignis wish he could see them but Gladio had been nice enough to tell him all about it.

“Garuda?” Ignis ask, tilting his head slightly to the side.

The Messenger did say anything other than placing a hand on the advisor's shoulder. “The King is returning to the Citadel with a young child, he wish for plate to be set out for her.” With that the Messenger is gone just as fast as she arrive.

Ignis frown before turning on his heels in head back inside. He has a feeling about who the child might be but he needs to confirm it first. Knowing Noctis, he probably find himself trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aurora by Kaniska (https://hellopoetry.com/words/aurora/) is the poem I used in this chapter.
> 
> Hopefully you enjoyed!


	3. The ending to a new beginning

Ignis entered the dining room to find the king of Insomnia colouring with a four year old with tiny crayons that you find at restaurants. It’s an odd sight to see since most are used to seeing Noctis as a warrior that took down the Astrals and changed the fate of the world not a human being that just want to colour stupid pictures.

Ignis sometimes forgets that himself.

The girl giggles as she point out something on the page for Noctis to colour. It’s a sight but Ignis has to remind himself why he’s here.

Walking over, Noctis looks up from the picture and sits up straighter. “Hey Iggy, oh!” Noctis motions to the child. “This is Aurora.”

The girl turns in her sit to wave up at the advisor. Ignis gives a small wave back.

“We were trying to find her parents but–.”

“You won’t be able to find them” Ignis said, cutting Noctis off. “Since she has none.”

Noctis frown, looking up to Ignis before looking down at Aurora. A clueless look came over his face when he looks back up at his advisor.

A sigh escapes him. “She is from the crystal” he explained. “The first of many to come.”

Noctis nods his slowly. Meaning it was fruitless but… “Have we figure out if any are staying here?” he ask.

Ignis sighs, relaxing his cross arms. He figure something like this might happen but he really thought it wouldn’t.

Before either could speak, Shiva, with Bahamut closely behind, came running in. The walls and floors cover in frost, along with the shoulders of Bahamut’s armor. It would be comical if it wasn’t for the fact that Shiva looks close to tears.

Since Noctis manages to change the fates of not only himself but also a few others; the gods decided to take the back burner on things, basically stop meddling and just watch. It was weird for the few couple of years but everyone got use to seeing one or two of the gods just hanging about the Citadel or the market.

Aurora ducks her head but let the goddess pick her up and hug her close. Noctis couldn’t hear what Shiva is saying but he could hear a little bit like how they can’t lose one or Aurora is going to be a troublemaker for whoever is going to adopt her.

Right. Noctis forgot about the whole adopting thing with the first generation of Crystal Babies or whatever they are going to be called. It surprised him how much he’s actually going to miss the kid, it felt like she has been part of his life for more than a few hours.

“Noct?”

Ignis place a hand on his king’s shoulder; the worry still visible, and probably won’t go away anytime soon. Probably from the whole being kidnapped by the Crystal, but that’s just a guest.

Noctis quickly stood, without answering Ignis, grabbing the Astrals’ attention. “How about I take her in?” he suggest.

Noctis knows he doesn’t have time for a kid, the fear of being like his father ring clearly in his ears, but he also knows what it like to be pushed away from the only person you known for your whole life onto another.

And Aurora is not going to become him.

Shiva and Bahamut look at one another. They’re not sure, just as much as Noctis isn’t. Aurora, however, has a different idea.

She manages to get out of the goddess’s arms and run back over to the king, hiding behind his legs. And that was that.

The gods weren’t please with Noctis’s decision to keep a child of the Crystal around, since no one is sure how they are going to turn out, but they couldn’t stop him. But they weren’t happy with any of his chooses.

…

Noctis yawns, covering his mouth with his arm, as important papers left forgotten. Another quieter yawn follows after.

The king looks over the desk to see Aurora colouring happily on the floor however they both know it’s time for bed.

Getting up, the king makes his way around and picks his kid up off the floor. If never thought he’ll become a father; planning on being the last of the Caelum but Aurora change those plans.

Prompto, Gladio, Ignis plus many more have become part of Noctis’s family and it keeps growing. They learn how to be family, maybe it Noctis’s turn to learn.

Or it’s the ending to a new beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A rush ending but I couldn't figure out how to end this.
> 
> Hopefully you enjoyed!


	4. Kingsglaives and the Princess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had this as this one-shot from being it's own thing but I decided to move it to be one big story thing.
> 
> Hopefully you enjoy!

Since Aurora joining them, the Citadel became a little bit livelier. No matter where you are, music can be heard drifting through the halls since Aurora decided she wanted to learn how to play the piano.

Noctis looks up from his paper work to see Aurora already sitting at the piano and getting ready to start playing. Since Noctis moved from his office and into the living room on the far end of the Citadel, Aurora had moved her make shift lessons from the main room to this living room.

However Aurora just set her head on top of the keys instead of playing.

Noctis took his glasses off and set them on the table before getting up from the couch.

“Hard night?” Noctis ask, taking a seat next to Aurora.

Aurora shrugs before lifting her head up. She didn’t spoke a word, just run her fingers through her curls.

“I wanted to play with some of the children that hang around the training grounds…” Aurora stops and just hang onto the ends of her hair. “They wanted to play Kingsglaives and the Princess, I know they made the second part up since they had no real rules for the princess’s part in the game.”

Noctis knows a bit about this game. “Kingsglaives and the Princess does exist, I should know since I used to play the princess part” Noctis said, making sure that Aurora is listening. “The fun part about being the princess is that the other members have to listen to the rules while the princess can jump into battle to either be the bad guy or support that tends to carry the whole team.”

Aurora looks up at Noctis, eyes wide in disbelief.

“Ignis can tell you more since he’s use to play it with me when we were younger.”

Noctis chuckles softly as Aurora jumps out of her seat and took off towards the kitchen. The King stood up and follows after the princess to make sure she doesn’t get lost.

…

“Is it true?”

Ignis tilt his head towards Aurora’s voice. The little girl had pulled a stool over and climb up it so to talk to Ignis.

“Is what true?” Ignis questions right back.

“Kingsglaives and the Princess?”

Ignis put the knife down next to the potato that he been peeling to fully acknowledge Aurora. “The princess is tasked to protect the people which includes the Kingsglaives, so if the princess believes that the Kingsglaives have chosen wrong or it was a silly choose than the princess can step in and state otherwise.”

“Which means they have to listen?”

Ignis frown. It’s been a while since he even thought of this game, let alone actually played it. The last time Ignis was roped into playing the game was before Gladio was sent off for training outside of the walls.

“Gladio and I use to listen to Noctis if he tells us something but we are his advisor and shield so it was a given that we listen to him. Though Iris did sometime play as well and she tends to be the wildcard.”

Ignis picks the knife and potato back up as Aurora left the kitchen. He chuckles softly when Noctis’s voice his worry of her running around the place. The advisor guess that the King is going to be hanging around in here for a while.

…

Aurora took a seat on a bench that’s on the side of one of the training mats. There’s about six children training with her uncle Gladio, each of them failing to listen to what he has to say.

One of the kids lost his sword and being knock to the ground. The sword slide against the ground before stopping just before her.

The princess got up and pick the sword up by the handle before walking over to the boy. He still haven’t gotten up, choosing to lay out on the ground with his face down.

The other kids stop their laughter. Aurora keeps the sword pointing down as she stop just before the boy.

He has blond hair that’s tied back and wearing the same outfit as the rest of the children are wearing; shorts and a t-shirt.

Suddenly the boy lift his head up. He froze and quickly got to feet, standing at attention.

“Princess Aurora, what brings you here?” he ask, clearly out of breath while acting like he’s not.

Aurora held the sword out. “You seem to have drop this, I’m just returning it” she said, trying to act formal.

She never had a real chance to act formal around one, save for Ignis since he’s the one that’s teaching her but even then Aurora doesn’t get it. So this is great practice even if it makes the other children not want to play with her.

“Oh?” the boy looks away from Aurora and down at the wooden sword which he quickly took back. “Thank you, your highness.”

Aurora covers her mouth to keep her laughter at bay when the boy quickly bows but hit his face with the end of his sword.

“Class is finish for today.”

The children that were watching them took off through the training grounds to spend the rest of the evening doing whatever.

“I’m Joseph” the boy said as he held his hand out. “Though you probably don’t care since I’m not even a part of the crownsguards or even a part of the Kingsglaives!”

Joseph let out an awkward chuckle. “But why would you care since you’re probably busy and…I’m rumbling” Joseph trails off.

Aurora shakes the offer hand. “I’m Aurora and I do care.”

Joseph opens his mouth to say something else but ends up backing away and taking off, almost dropping his sword on the way.

“I see you made a friend” said Gladio, gaining Aurora’s attention.

“Yeah I guess I did, I wonder if he wants to play Kingsglaives and the Princess with me?” Aurora ask more herself then Gladio.

“Don’t know, maybe you can ask him the next time you see him.” Gladio place a hand on top of Aurora’s head, ruffling her hair, before offering his hand. “Let’s go see what Ignis have cooking for supper.”

Aurora nods her head quickly and happily takes Gladio’s hand before the King’s shield and princess head out of the training grounds.

...

Noctis is sitting out front on the steps of the Citadel while working on more paperwork. Ignis doesn’t like this new habit of finding different spots to work that isn’t an office but Ignis is too busy with his own work to deal with Noctis right now, which Noctis took the chance to mess with Ignis a little.

The moon shines down brightly on Insomnia, making it look strangely like the day time. Noctis flip one of the notebooks open when he heard shouting and laughter.

The King looks up from his work to Aurora jumping up onto the fountain in the middle of the roundabout just as two other kids came running over. Aurora has a paper crown on her head while the other two kids have cardboard armor.

“There they are.”

Noctis look up to see Gladio, standing next to him with his hands on his hips. The shield look down at his king while motioning to the kids.

“Joseph and Nickolas didn’t show up for training” Gladio said, looking back to watch the kids. “However it seems Aurora took over training today.”

Noctis looks back just in time to see the three took off towards the market.

Gladio ends up sitting next to the King while stretching his legs out on the steps.

“Do you want to see if we can get Ignis to play Kingsglaives and the Princess?” Noctis ask.

“Sure.”


End file.
